Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

Ballet and its language


Recommended Posts

i don't know if i'll be able to express this as fully as i want, but it's a thought that has been running through my head.

i've seen many people complain of ballet not having enough classics and being tired of seeing the same old ones again and again. they seem to think this means that ballet itself has grown stale and the language, or technique, or style, totally needs replacing. i don't agree. i don't think ballet has been around in its present basic form long enough to have more classics than it does now, and it's more untapped than anything. i think choreographers make a mess when they try to manufacture 'instant classics' or proclaim something a classic before it's had time to settle, so to speak. i think there's a tendency to want to discard something that hasn't reached its full potential just because sometimes people want something new at all costs, regardless of its value or lack of, and regardless of the value of what is already there and which may be begging for more exploration. anyone else care to comment or elaborate?

[ December 14, 2001: Message edited by: Mme. Hermine ]

Link to comment

I certainly agree with that smile.gif I'd say you've written the party platform, Mme. Hermine smile.gif

But I'm not sure we're in the majority. I've hopped up and down on the "stop saying you're pushing ballet over the edge" soap box for so long, I'm sure anyone who reads this site knows my views. I hope this thread will draw answers of all political persuasions.

Link to comment

I am a neophyte to the ballet world, as I only started attending regularly four years ago.

I did not have the pleasure of attending the ballet, or any form of dance except in plays, as I was growing up... just outside of NYC.

It wasn't until I was just out of college that I attended my first ballet. Although I can't possibly tell you what I saw, I can tell you who I saw - Natalia Makarova. Just to date myself this was in approximaately 1980!

Our daughter truly brought me to ballet when she was quite young, as she loves to dance.

I love the "classics". I can see them performed again and again and there is alwas something new for me to see.

Now, as to what constitutes a "classic" - that's another question! Do you mean Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Giselle, etc., and do you include Balanchine's own version of classic works or Jerome Robbins'?

This topic makes me think of Sylvie Guillam's version of Giselle which brought about all sorts of varying opinions...I thoroughly enjoyed it, but that doesn't mean that I don't also enjoy the more classical or traditional approach to Giselle!

I didn't see Dracula nor The Pied Piper... I really never did read much about Dracula(the one I recall was performed by The Pennsylvania Ballet) but I sure did hear about The Pied Piper! rolleyes.gif

I enjoy going to The Joyce where I've seen Ballet Tech (now I do think they could use a few new ones!), and I loved Stanton Welch's "Orange"...

I saw Christopher Wheeldon's "Scenes of the Ballet" - sorry if that's not quite the title - and I really thought it was fun...granted someone I am related to was in it. smile.gif

I have loved Symphony C performed by both NYC Ballet and ABT... And although I admire some ballets for their technical prowess, I don't always like them.

Am I open to "something new"?...Yes. However, possibly because I am such a neophyte, I really want to see all the classics - Raymonda, Paquita, etc.

I hope some other more well versed readers will respond to your post Mme. Hermine.

[ December 20, 2001: Message edited by: BW ]

Link to comment
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...